Young children, particularly infants, are often placed in child support structures of the type having an obstruction which projects upward between the legs of the child. These obstructions primarily serve a safety function of helping to restrain the child in the device. For example, in some structures, such as infant car seats and the like, the obstruction is primarily a safety device in the form of a restraining belt which passes between the legs of a child when the restraining belt is operationally inserted into and engaged with a corresponding restraining belt mechanism. In other structures, the obstruction serves multiple purposes. For example, for structures such as infant swing seats and high chairs, the obstruction is in the form of a post projecting upward from a seating or reclining surface. Such posts not only serve the safety function of helping to restrain an infant in these devices, but also serve to support table tops which can be used to hold food items or toys within easy reach of an infant.
FIG. 1 shows one such structure 10 commonly referred to as a "swing seat". Swing seats such as structure 10 are widely available and extremely popular. Structure 10 has a fairly typical construction sharing several common elements with many commercially available swing seats. Generally, structure 10 includes child supporting structure 12 having a seating surface 14 for supporting a young child. Child supporting structure is swingingly supported from top frame piece 18 by an interconnecting structure which, in this embodiment, includes U-shaped support member 16 and members 20. Top frame piece 18 itself is supported upon four legs 22. The legs 22 are braced by crosspiece member 24. The interconnecting structure couples the child supporting structure 12 to the top frame piece 18 in a manner which allows child supporting structure 12 to swing back and forth between legs 22. Commonly, top frame piece 18 houses a battery-powered or electric motor which is operationally coupled to members 20 in a manner which imparts the swinging motion to child supporting structure 12.
The swinging motion of child supporting structure 12 is quite soothing for many children. However, the motion generates a breeze that can be uncomfortably cool for a child, particularly if the child is just an infant. Additionally, other drafts from other sources, e.g., windows, doorways, ventilation ducts, and the like, can add to this discomfort. Thus, it is desirable to cover a child supported in structure 10 with a blanket to keep the child warm and to protect the child from breezes, drafts, and the like.
Ordinary blankets are not very effective for this purpose, because it is difficult to fit an ordinary blanket around an obstruction such as post 26. Typically, an ordinary blanket has to be bunched up and stuffed around the post in an effort to cover as many parts of the child as possible. However, it is not uncommon for some parts of the child to be uncovered with this approach. Additionally, blanket bunching leaves gaps between the blanket and the child supporting structure 12 through which cool air can reach the child. A bunched up blanket is also not very secure. Such blankets can accidentally fall out of position. Alternatively, such blankets can be knocked out of place by movements of the child. Further, a sleeping child can be inadvertantly awakened by blanket bunching. Not just swing seats, but any child supporting structure having an obstruction which interferes with placement of a blanket over a child suffers from these same drawbacks.
What is needed in the art, therefore, is a better way to keep a child warm when the child is supported in a device having such an obstruction.